The unique sense of immersion that I experienced with the multi-screen video installations of de Young’s Isaac Julien: I Dream a World exhibition could be attributed to several factors:
- The multiple video channels provide the opportunity and imperative for the viewers to choose which one to watch, analogous to viewpoint switch in the real world.
- The spatial arrangement of the screens provides 3D cues even if not conforming to the depicted scene geometry.
- The spatial sound channels also help to modulate the visual experience, by guiding the viewers’ attention to different parts of the installation.